What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Romans 6, Paul addresses a critical question that naturally arises from his teachings on grace: If God's grace abounds to cover our sin, should we then continue to sin so that grace may increase? This chapter serves as a powerful declaration of our new identity in Christ and a compelling call to live in accordance with that identity. Understanding Romans 6 is crucial for grasping the transformative power of the gospel and walking in true freedom.
The Absurdity of Sinning Purposefully
Paul wastes no time in dismissing the notion that grace gives us license to sin. He emphatically rejects the idea that we should continue in sin so that grace may multiply (Romans 6:1-2). It's like a judge showing mercy to a criminal only to encourage them to commit more crimes. Such a thought is absurd! The core issue at stake is our very identity in Christ. If we believe salvation grants us freedom to sin, we fundamentally misunderstand our new nature.
United with Christ in Death and Resurrection
Paul reminds us of a profound truth: as Christians, we have been united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5). Through baptism, we symbolically participate in this reality. The word "baptism" in Greek means to plunge or dip, similar to dyeing cloth. When we are baptized into Christ, we are immersed in Him, absorbing His very nature. The properties of Jesus become a part of us (see Galatians 2:20).
This union with Christ fuels our power to overcome sin. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us, not through striving, but through embracing our Christian identity. We walk in "newness of life" (Romans 6:4) when we intimately know and believe that we have been united with Christ.
The Old Self Crucified
If we possess the resurrection power of Jesus, why does overcoming sin still feel like a struggle? Paul explains that "our old self was crucified with him" (Romans 6:6). While the "body of sin" may still twitch and tempt us, it no longer holds dominion over us. We were once slaves to sin, compelled to obey its every command. Now, we are freed from that bondage. Continuing to sin is a matter of forgetting who we truly are.
It's like a cadaver that twitches – it may appear alive, but it is fundamentally dead. Similarly, our old sinful nature may still rear its head, but it no longer has the power to control us.
Reckon Yourselves Dead to Sin
Paul emphasizes the importance of "considering" ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). The word "consider" means to calculate or reckon. We must actively choose to believe and live out the new identity that has been purchased for us at the cross. Jesus died to sin in our place, so we don't have to.
Imagine a man who paid for a substitute to fight in the Civil War, and that substitute was killed. If the man received a second draft notice, he could present the legal agreement, arguing that someone had already died in his place. Similarly, when Satan attempts to re-draft us into sin, we can point to Jesus's victory, declaring, "Satan, you can't force me back into that old life. The payment has already been made. Jesus died in my place."
Yield to God
Understanding and reckoning with our new identity is not enough; we must also yield to it. We have a choice: to let sin reign in our mortal body or to offer ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13). Sin seeks to control us, using our passions and lusts as weapons. While God doesn't immediately remove these desires, He gives us the Holy Spirit, empowering us to say "no."
The key to experiencing this power is recognizing Christ's authority over us. When we submit to His rule, regardless of our emotions, the power of the flesh diminishes, and God's grace is activated in our lives. Our obedience flows from our relationship with Him, not from a legalistic adherence to rules.
Slaves to Righteousness
Paul clarifies that living under grace doesn't mean we can continue sinning (Romans 6:15). True grace empowers us to keep the law, not as a means of earning salvation, but as an expression of our love and gratitude to God. We are slaves to either sin or obedience, leading to either death or righteousness (Romans 6:16). There is no neutral ground. Every one of us serves someone.
It's a sobering reality that Christians can still offer their bodies to sin. Consider the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves, yet some remained enslaved because they were unaware of their freedom. How foolish it is for us, who know we are free in Christ, to continue saying "yes" to sin!
The Fruit of Our Labor
Paul contrasts the outcomes of serving sin and serving God. Serving sin leads to increasing lawlessness, and while it may offer temporary freedom from righteousness, the ultimate result is death (Romans 6:19-21). Short-term pleasure leads to long-term devastation.
In contrast, serving God leads to sanctification and righteousness, both of which result in eternal life (Romans 6:22).
The Wages of Sin
The wages of sin is death, while the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). This truth applies not only to non-believers but also to Christians. While believers cannot lose their salvation, they can experience a spiritual separation from the joy and fullness of God's presence when they choose to sin. They may also miss out on God's will for their lives. Choosing sin leads to weakness, sickness, meaninglessness, and ultimately, a form of death.
Romans 6 is a powerful reminder of our new identity in Christ and a call to live in accordance with that identity. We are no longer slaves to sin, but servants of righteousness, empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in newness of life. Let us embrace our freedom in Christ and choose to live for Him, bearing fruit that leads to eternal life.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Romans 6, Paul addresses a critical question that naturally arises from his teachings on grace: If God's grace abounds to cover our sin, should we then continue to sin so that grace may increase? This chapter serves as a powerful declaration of our new identity in Christ and a compelling call to live in accordance with that identity. Understanding Romans 6 is crucial for grasping the transformative power of the gospel and walking in true freedom.
The Absurdity of Sinning Purposefully
Paul wastes no time in dismissing the notion that grace gives us license to sin. He emphatically rejects the idea that we should continue in sin so that grace may multiply (Romans 6:1-2). It's like a judge showing mercy to a criminal only to encourage them to commit more crimes. Such a thought is absurd! The core issue at stake is our very identity in Christ. If we believe salvation grants us freedom to sin, we fundamentally misunderstand our new nature.
United with Christ in Death and Resurrection
Paul reminds us of a profound truth: as Christians, we have been united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5). Through baptism, we symbolically participate in this reality. The word "baptism" in Greek means to plunge or dip, similar to dyeing cloth. When we are baptized into Christ, we are immersed in Him, absorbing His very nature. The properties of Jesus become a part of us (see Galatians 2:20).
This union with Christ fuels our power to overcome sin. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us, not through striving, but through embracing our Christian identity. We walk in "newness of life" (Romans 6:4) when we intimately know and believe that we have been united with Christ.
The Old Self Crucified
If we possess the resurrection power of Jesus, why does overcoming sin still feel like a struggle? Paul explains that "our old self was crucified with him" (Romans 6:6). While the "body of sin" may still twitch and tempt us, it no longer holds dominion over us. We were once slaves to sin, compelled to obey its every command. Now, we are freed from that bondage. Continuing to sin is a matter of forgetting who we truly are.
It's like a cadaver that twitches – it may appear alive, but it is fundamentally dead. Similarly, our old sinful nature may still rear its head, but it no longer has the power to control us.
Reckon Yourselves Dead to Sin
Paul emphasizes the importance of "considering" ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). The word "consider" means to calculate or reckon. We must actively choose to believe and live out the new identity that has been purchased for us at the cross. Jesus died to sin in our place, so we don't have to.
Imagine a man who paid for a substitute to fight in the Civil War, and that substitute was killed. If the man received a second draft notice, he could present the legal agreement, arguing that someone had already died in his place. Similarly, when Satan attempts to re-draft us into sin, we can point to Jesus's victory, declaring, "Satan, you can't force me back into that old life. The payment has already been made. Jesus died in my place."
Yield to God
Understanding and reckoning with our new identity is not enough; we must also yield to it. We have a choice: to let sin reign in our mortal body or to offer ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13). Sin seeks to control us, using our passions and lusts as weapons. While God doesn't immediately remove these desires, He gives us the Holy Spirit, empowering us to say "no."
The key to experiencing this power is recognizing Christ's authority over us. When we submit to His rule, regardless of our emotions, the power of the flesh diminishes, and God's grace is activated in our lives. Our obedience flows from our relationship with Him, not from a legalistic adherence to rules.
Slaves to Righteousness
Paul clarifies that living under grace doesn't mean we can continue sinning (Romans 6:15). True grace empowers us to keep the law, not as a means of earning salvation, but as an expression of our love and gratitude to God. We are slaves to either sin or obedience, leading to either death or righteousness (Romans 6:16). There is no neutral ground. Every one of us serves someone.
It's a sobering reality that Christians can still offer their bodies to sin. Consider the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves, yet some remained enslaved because they were unaware of their freedom. How foolish it is for us, who know we are free in Christ, to continue saying "yes" to sin!
The Fruit of Our Labor
Paul contrasts the outcomes of serving sin and serving God. Serving sin leads to increasing lawlessness, and while it may offer temporary freedom from righteousness, the ultimate result is death (Romans 6:19-21). Short-term pleasure leads to long-term devastation.
In contrast, serving God leads to sanctification and righteousness, both of which result in eternal life (Romans 6:22).
The Wages of Sin
The wages of sin is death, while the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). This truth applies not only to non-believers but also to Christians. While believers cannot lose their salvation, they can experience a spiritual separation from the joy and fullness of God's presence when they choose to sin. They may also miss out on God's will for their lives. Choosing sin leads to weakness, sickness, meaninglessness, and ultimately, a form of death.
Romans 6 is a powerful reminder of our new identity in Christ and a call to live in accordance with that identity. We are no longer slaves to sin, but servants of righteousness, empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in newness of life. Let us embrace our freedom in Christ and choose to live for Him, bearing fruit that leads to eternal life.